


Friends

by Clefaiiiry



Series: Stories from Sinnoh [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Diamond & Pearl & Platinum | Pokemon Diamond Pearl Platinum Versions
Genre: Gen, Kid Fic, Selectively Mute Dawn, Sign Language, i wrote this in like 10 minutes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 06:06:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13229598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clefaiiiry/pseuds/Clefaiiiry
Summary: "Could you and I be friends?"





	Friends

A silent girl from Hearthome City joined the class. She hid her face behind a white scarf and pulled a beanie down over her forehead. Her hands only ever left the safety of her sleeves when she had to write. Some of the other kids thought she was deaf, others thought she was just oblivious.

Her mother hovered over her shoulder, constantly babbling about how her daughter was a contest star back home. The only freedom the girl got was when she was left at school. The first graders of Jubilife Elementary decided she was best left alone and even the teachers didn’t want to deal with her.

But Barry had never been very good at following the crowd.

She had been part of the class for a week when Barry decided to head over and sit at the chair next to her’s. He didn’t have anything to say, he just ate his lunch and occasionally looked up at her, but she seemed to appreciate the company.

At the end of the day, she followed him to his locker, standing to his side in silence as he changed his shoes. Barry glanced to her with a frown.

“What’s up?”

She pointed to herself, then to Barry, then clasped her hands together in front of her chest.

“Huh? What does that mean?”

The girl fumbled with her hands, repeating the action.

Barry groaned. “I don’t understand you.”

The girl tensed up, her movements shaky as she tried again in vain. Barry sighed. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said as he packed his slippers back into his locker and headed out.

* * *

 

“Did you have a good day?”

Barry shrugged at his mother’s question, trying not to look at the empty seat where his father would sit. He ate another mouthful of rice.

His mother made an expression he couldn’t read. “How is that new girl settling in?”

“Who? The weird one who doesn’t talk?”

Barry yelped as his mother pinched him. “Don’t be rude, she probably has anxiety, the poor girl.”

With a huff, Barry said, “I sat with her at lunch. She still didn’t talk but it was... nice.” He put down his bowl and chopsticks and turned fully to face his mother. “And at the end of the day she came up to me and did this-” He pointed to himself, then to his mother, then clasped his hands together in a clumsy attempt to imitate the actions of the girl.

His mother frowned for a second before her lips made an ‘o’ of realisation. “She was using sign language.”

“What’s that?”

“When people can’t talk or hear very well, they use their hands to make shapes and symbols.” His mother tapped her chin. “I’m a little rusty with it, but I think she was asking if you could be friends.”

Barry looked down at his hands and thought for a long moment. “Can you teach me how to sign?”

His mother laughed. “If you finish your dinner first, it’s going to get cold.”

* * *

 

“Um, hey?”

The girl looked up from the book on her desk and her eyes widened slightly. Barry held up both hands.

“Wait, wait, gimme a second...” He shuffled awkwardly before he started to move his hands. He spoke aloud as he made the signs, “What is your name?”

The girl pulled her scarf down from over her face and grinned so wide that Barry was certain that her jaw would break. Her hands moved quickly, almost too fast for him to keep up.

“D-A-W-N,” she signed.

“B-A-R-R-Y,” Barry signed in return, “Nice to meet you, Dawn.”

Dawn nodded, her hands moving again at a pace that was too much for him to keep up.

“I’m still learning, don’t go so fast!”

Dawn giggled silently, making the sign for ‘sorry.’

“Um, hey, so...” Barry pointed towards Dawn, “Could you-” he pointed to himself, “-and I-” he clasped his hands together in front of his chest, “-be friends?”

Dawn stared at him for a long moment before she sniffled.

“Sorry! Did I do it wrong?”

She shook her head frantically. “I want to be friends!” Dawn signed, wiping her red eyes and smiling brightly.

Barry grinned back. “Okay, Dawn!” He said, “Let’s be friends!”

**Author's Note:**

> the more time that goes by idk why i don't just hc dawn as deaf honestly because i already take a lot of my inspiration for her from koe no katachi
> 
> i just wanted to write something cute and idc if it's cheesey we're here now


End file.
